My First Gig
A lovely person I know was asking me about this yesterday as I always claim “I’ve been going to see live music all my life”. My actual first gig (to my knowledge) was when I was about 2-3 years old.

In Melbourne outside the Arts Centre where there is now crappy black wave sculptures, they used to set up a free outdoor stage in the summer. For three years in a row my family and I would break out the picnic rug and go watch Nick Barker (The Wreckery/Nick Barker & the Reptiles/Barker) & Mark Seymour (Hunters & Collectors) play solo sets.

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I remember a little bit from the last one we went to when I was 5 or soon to turn 5. It was a stinking hot Melbourne day; somewhere above 30C maybe even over 35C. All I remember is we were so hot that we all felt shocking and left early. I think I may have thrown a tantrum about that as I wanted to stay. I also remember to the right of stage nearly directly in front of us was a very drunk (and/or drugged up) man dancing and either Nick or Mark between songs actually jumped off stage to give the man a bottle of water. That’s really the extent of my memory but I’m impressed I remember that.

Nick is now a family friend and I’m sure he’d be embarrassed by the fact he was my first gig. However, it would be far more embarrassing if he ever realised that when I was about 14 I sent him long fan messages on Myspace about how he was the greatest artist ever or something along those lines. I hope he never remembers that or realises it was me…

The song above was my favourite Nick Barker song as a kid. It’s a song about all the sightings of Thylacines (Tasmanian Tigers) over 50 years after it was said to be extinct and likening it to a “Marsupial Elvis”. 

I’m sure I could actually write a book about all the Nick Barker gigs I’ve been to, but this’ll do for now.

Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding

So for this I have a story! Valentines Day is also my sister’s birthday so that always takes precedence to any romantic celebrations. It was Selina and my first ‘Valentines Day’ since we started going out 10 months prior and my family and Selina all went to see Nick Barker play.

As has been mentioned in my father and I have changed from lifelong fans to friends with Mr Barker. But anyway it was a wonderful show. Afterwards my dad went off to talk to Nick and came back with a CD for Selina. It said on it “To Selina, Nathan is a lucky boy - Nick Barker”. My dad actually brought a piece of paper to the gig with Selina’s name on it to make sure the spelling was right (Nick did the rest). Apparently when dad mentioned to Nick that she was my girlfriend he also made comments along the lines of “wow, he’s done well” which lead to the signature. I am punching above my weight. But yes this is the reasons why. I have a wonderful girlfriend, a wonderful father and an impecible taste in music (if I do say so myself; which I do) and they all came together in this song. The song is “Where I Wanna Be” from the album Black Water Blues.

The Wreckery - I think this town is Nervous